IIARD International Institute of Academic Research and Development

International Journal of Education and Evaluation (IJEE )

E-ISSN 2489-0073
P-ISSN 2695-1940
VOL. 3 NO. 10 2017

---

Early Childhood Education: Development, Challenges and Prospects in Nigeria.

Musa Muhammad Musa, Ismail Bello Abubakar & Nasiru Yusuf Danladi

---

Abstract

The early childhood education (ECE) comprises essential programme and activities which are critical to the holistic development, academic success and future achievements of children. ECE is recognized by the federal government that Nigeria, as a foundational and essential programme that Nigerian child must experience. This is why the government has given highly rated attention to it through various interventions that include formulation of policy documents and network of relationships among different sectors. Unfortunately various challenges are facing the early childhood (ECE) implementation and development in Nigeria. Therefore this paper tends to examine and discuss the issue of development, challenges and the prospects of the early childhood education in Nigeria context. It establishes that the federal government of Nigeria in it national policy on education has given official recognition to the development and provision of early childhood education in the country. This combined with a number of factors to give rise to an unprecedented expansion in the provision of child care and early childhood education institutions in the country. However, nearly all the early childhood education in the country is provided by private propriectors. It also identifies the inability of government among others to put effect most of the measure it stated in the National Policy on Education (FRN2012) which aimed at ensuring that the policy objectives are achieved. It has also established that the provision and development of early childhood education will have positive prospects on the educational development of children in later life in Nigeria.

keywords:

Education, Childhood, Development, Challenges, Prospects.

---

References:

Alabi, A. T. and Tjaiya, N.Y.S. (2014).Funding strategies and sustenance of early childhood
education in Nigeria: The way forward.European Scientific Journal, 5(1), 12-21.
Retrieved from http://eujoumal.org/index.php/esj7article/download/4598/4394.

Amadi, F. N. C. (2013). Challenges of early childhood care education in sustaining girl-child
development in Nigeria. Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences, 4(5), 151-156.
doi: 10.5901/mjss.2013.v4n$pl51

Amali, I. O.O., Bello, M., &Okafor I. P. (2012). An
Assessment of Pre-Primary School Programme Activities in Kwara State,
Nigeria.Journal of Education and Practice, 3(6), 100-105.

Awino, N. L. (2014). Impact of supervision on the implementation of early childhood
education curriculum in selected public pre-schools in Lang’ata District, Nairobi
County, Kenya, (mater’s thesis). Retrieved from
http://cees.uonbi.ac.ke/sites/default/files/cees/fina%20final%20final%20pdf_0.pdf

Boyd, M. (2013). “I love my work but...” The professionalization of early childhood
education.The Qualitative Report, 18(71), 1-20. Retrieved from
http://wsvw.nova.edu/ssss/QR/QR18/boyd71.pdf

Chukwbikem, P. E. 1 (2013).Resources for early childhood education.Mediterranean Journal
of Social Sciences, 4(8), 161-172. doi:10.5901/mjss.2013.v4n8pl61
<

Estes, L. S. (2004). Essentials of child care and early education. United States of America.
Pearson Education, Inc.

Federal Republic of Nigeria.(2013). National Policy on Education.Lagos, NERDC press.

Federal Republic of Nigeria.(2007). National Early Childhood Curriculum for Ages 0-5
years. Lagos, NERDC Press.

Goble, C. B., &Horm, D. M. (2010). Take charge of your personal and professional
development. NAEYC. Retrieved from
https://www.naeyc.org/files/yc/file/201011/GobleOnlineI 110.pdf

Huntsman, L. (2008). Determinants of quality in child care: A review of the research
evidence. Centre for Parenting and Research, NSW Department of Community
Services.http://www.community.nsw.gov.au/docswr/_assets/main/documents/research
_ qualitychildcare.|)df

Jibril, M. O. (2007). Teacher education in Nigeria: An overview. African Research Review.
7(2), Retrieved from
http://www.ajol.info/index.php/afrrev/article/download/41004/8444

NAEYC (2007). Educational qualifications of program administrators and teaching staff:
Building better futures for children and the profession. Retrieved
from http://www.naeyc.org/files/yc/file/200703/BTJProfDev.pdf

Nakpodia, E. D. (2011). Early childhood education: Its policy formulation and
implementation in Nigerian educational system. African Journal of Political Science
and International Relations, 5(3), 159-163. Retrieved from
http://www.academicjoumals.org/article/articlel381824650_Nakpodia.pdf
National Centre on Quality Teaching and Learning (2012).Choosing a preschool curriculum.
Retrieved from
https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/teaching/docs/preschool-cun- iculum.pdf

NGA Centre for Best Practices (2010, February).Building an early childhood professional
development system (Issue Brief). From
http://www.
nga.org/files/live/sites/NGA/files/pdf/1002EARLYCHILDPROFDEV.PDF

Oduolowu, E. A., &Olowe, P. K. (2011). Government provision of early child care and
education to preschool orphans in orphanages in Ibadan municipality.Research in
Curriculum Studies, 6 (2).

OECD (n.d.). Encouraging quality in early childhood education and care (Research Brief:
Working Conditions Matter). Retrieved from http://www.oecd.org/edu/school/49322250.pdf

Oguntuashe, K. (2010).Early child care and education as the foundation for the holistic
development ofjdie child in Nigeria.An inaugural lecture, University of Lagos.

Okcwole, J. O., Iluezi-Ogbedu, V. A., & Osinowo O. A. (2015). An evaluation of the
implementation of early childhood education curriculum in Osun State. Journal of
Education and Practice, 6(4), 48-54. Retrieved from
http://www.iiste.org/Journals/index.php/JEP/article/viewFile/19793/20357

Olaleye, O. O., &Omotayo, K. A.(2009). Assessment of quality in early childhood education
in Ekiti-State Nigeria.World Applied Sciences Journal 7(5), 683-688. Retrieved from
http://www.idosi.org/wasj/wasj7(5)/19.pdf

Olowe, P. K., Kutelu, B. O., &Majebi, O. I. (2014).Teaching social ethics in early childhood
classrooms: A panacea for promoting peaceful Nigerian society.International
Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 4(6.1), 263-268.

Osalcue, S. O. (2011). Repositioning early childhood education in Nigeria: The children's
theatre approach. Academic Research
International,.1(2); Retrieved from http://www.savap.org.pk/journals/ARInt./Vol.l(2)/2011(1.2-18).pdf

Osanyin, A. (2012).Once upon a child.An inaugural lecture, University of Lagos.

Osho, L. O., Aliyu, N., Okolie, O., &Onifade, O. (2013). Implementation of early childhood
education: A case study in Nigeria. Universal Journal of Educational Research
2(2),119-125. doi:10.13189/ujer.2014.020203

Sooter, T. (2013). Early childhood education in Nigeria: Issues and problems. Journal of
Educational aqd'Social Research, 3(5). doi:10.5901/jesr.2013.v3n5pl73

The Good Planet Foundation (2013).Accelerating progress to 2015. Nigeria. A report series
to the UN Special Envoy for Global Education.Working Paper. Retrieved from
http://educationenvoy.org/wp-
content/uploads/2013/07/NIGERIA-UNSE-FINAL.pdf

UNESCO International Bureau of Education (2006). Nigeria: Early Childhood Care and
Education(ECCE)programmes. Retrieved from http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0014/001472/147201e.pdf

UNESCO International Bureau of Education (2006).World data on education, Nigeria.
Retrieved from
http://www.ibe.unesco.org/fdeadmin/user_upload/archive/Countries/WDE/2006/SUB
SAHARAN_AF -' RICA/Nigeria/Nigeria.pdf

Viatonu, O. A., Usman-Abdulqadri, T. &Dagunduro, O. M. (2011).Am Assessment of
Implementation Strategies of Integrated Early Childcare and Development (IECD) in
Epe Local Government Area of Lagos State. African Research Review, 5(4), 501-510.

DOWNLOAD PDF

---

Back